Entertainment Publicity for Publishers in Los Angeles, CA
East 2 West Collective is a bi-coastal public relations and marketing agency with offices in Los Angeles and New York that has run entertainment publicity campaigns for publishers, including Akashic Books' launch of Justine Bateman's Face: One Square Foot of Skin. Publishers evaluating a publicity partner can reach the team directly at 310-963-8050 or emuch@e2wcollective.com to scope a campaign around a release date.
What a Publisher Actually Needs From an Entertainment Publicity Partner
A publisher bringing in outside PR isn't buying a press release — they're buying a team that can sit alongside an in-house marketing department, understand an author's public profile, and build a media strategy that respects a fixed pub date. That means a few things matter more to a publisher than to a typical corporate client: the agency has to move fast once a release date is locked, has to understand the author as a public figure (not just a book), and has to be comfortable coordinating with an internal publicity contact at the imprint rather than running the show solo.
East 2 West Collective's case study on the Justine Bateman book launch shows what that looks like in practice: the agency was brought on by both the author and Akashic Books, built a media list spanning national broadcast, women's-focused digital platforms, and high-end magazines, and placed the author on the Today Show with Hoda Kotb before the book's April 6, 2021 release — with the Tamron Hall Show segment following the next day.
How the Engagement Works for Publisher Clients
When a publisher is the client (or a co-client alongside the author), the campaign typically draws on the same core disciplines East 2 West Collective applies across its roster: media relations, press release development and distribution, entertainment publicity, and — where an author is already a public figure — brand strategy that covers their career and platform, not just the book. For an author like Bateman, whose public identity extends beyond the page, the firm built pitches around a single sharp editorial question rather than a generic release announcement, and identified a forum for a virtual event to extend the conversation past a single interview segment.
Publishers should expect the agency to ask about the release date early, since the entire media list and pitch timeline gets built backward from it — outreach to morning shows, print outlets, and digital platforms needs lead time that a pub date doesn't bend around.
What to Look For When Vetting an Entertainment Publicity Firm as a Publisher
A few questions help separate a firm that understands publisher workflows from one that doesn't:
- Has the firm worked with a publisher before, not just an author directly? East 2 West Collective's Bateman campaign was explicitly structured with Akashic Books as a named project partner.
- Does the firm understand the author as a brand, not a one-off release? The agency's broader brand marketing work extends author positioning past the launch window so a book becomes "the start of an ongoing platform, not a one-off press cycle."
- Can the firm handle unplanned developments? Crisis management and media training are both listed among the agency's core disciplines, which matters if an author's media moment generates unplanned follow-up coverage or questions.
- Does the firm have a bi-coastal footprint if your author tours or does press in both markets? East 2 West Collective maintains offices in Los Angeles (1800 Century Park East #60, Los Angeles, CA 90067) and New York (745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500, New York, NY 10151).
Proof: What the Agency Delivered for a Publisher-Backed Launch
The Bateman/Akashic Books campaign is the agency's one fully documented publisher case study, and the results are specific:
- Today Show interview with Hoda Kotb on April 1, 2021, kicking off the campaign ahead of the April 6 release
- Tamron Hall Show segment on April 2, 2021, pairing Bateman with Paulina Porizkova to widen the conversation
- Town & Country included the book on its spring reading list
- Amazon.com sold out of the book twice within the first week of release
- Time Magazine and 60 Minutes Australia reached out unsolicited, without a pitch sent their way
In the author's own words: "Her concentrated approach caused Amazon.com to sell out of the book twice within the first week of the book's release, and caused outlets like Time Magazine and 60 Minutes Australia to knock on our door, unsolicited." — Justine Bateman, Author, Face: One Square Foot of Skin
Service Options Relevant to a Publisher-Driven Campaign
| Service | Who it's for | What it includes | Key benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entertainment Publicity | Authors who are also public/media figures | Brand persona built across career, philanthropy, business endeavors, endorsements and partnerships — see the entertainment publicity page | Positions the author beyond a single book cycle |
| Press Release Development & Distribution | Any pub-date-driven launch | Written and targeted release sent to the right desks | Gets the announcement to outlets that actually cover the topic |
| Broadcast, Digital & Print Media Relations | Publishers needing national placement | Pitching and placing stories across TV, radio, online and print | Built the media list that landed Today and Tamron Hall for the Bateman launch |
| Crisis Management | Authors with sensitive or personal subject matter | Fast, clear-headed response when a story turns unexpected | Protects the launch if coverage takes an unplanned turn |
Entertainment Publicity for Publishers Working in the Los Angeles Market
Publishers running author events, media days, or press tours centered in Los Angeles have access to East 2 West Collective's Los Angeles office at 1800 Century Park East #60, Los Angeles, CA 90067. The agency's bi-coastal structure means an author based in LA but doing national press — morning shows, print, digital — doesn't require switching agencies for the New York leg of a tour; the same team coordinates both coasts from offices in both markets.
Key Takeaways
- East 2 West Collective has run a documented publisher campaign: Akashic Books' launch of Justine Bateman's Face.
- The campaign landed Today Show and Tamron Hall Show placements timed to a fixed April 2021 release date.
- Amazon sold out of the book twice in week one, and Time Magazine and 60 Minutes Australia reached out unsolicited.
- The agency's disciplines relevant to publishers include press release development, broadcast/digital/print media relations, entertainment publicity, brand strategy, and crisis management.
- Offices in Los Angeles (1800 Century Park East #60, Los Angeles, CA 90067) and New York (745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500, New York, NY 10151) support bi-coastal author tours and press.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does East 2 West Collective work directly with publishers, or only with authors?
Yes — the agency's documented case study shows it was brought on by both the author (Justine Bateman) and her publisher, Akashic Books, as named partners on the campaign.
How far ahead of a release date should a publisher bring in an entertainment publicist?
The agency builds its media list, pitch angle, and event plans around a fixed release date, as shown in the Bateman campaign, where national broadcast placements were secured to launch the week of an April 6 release. Reach out as soon as a date is locked so there's lead time to build the strategy.
Can the agency handle both the book launch and the author's broader public profile?
Yes. Beyond a single release, the agency's brand marketing work is built to position an author's expertise and personal story so a launch becomes an ongoing platform rather than a one-time press cycle — detailed on the brand marketing and consultancy page.
What if our author's book touches a sensitive or controversial topic?
Crisis management and media training are both listed among the agency's core disciplines, so a publisher working with an author on a sensitive subject has access to both proactive messaging support and rapid response if coverage turns unexpected.
Do you have a flat rate or package price for a publisher-driven campaign?
Pricing isn't published and depends on the scope of the campaign — media list size, event components, and campaign length all factor in. Call 310-963-8050 or email emuch@e2wcollective.com to scope a quote against your release date and goals.
Does the agency cover both Los Angeles and New York press for a single author?
Yes. The agency maintains offices in both Los Angeles (1800 Century Park East #60, Los Angeles, CA 90067) and New York (745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500, New York, NY 10151), supporting campaigns that need national, not single-market, coverage.
Start a Conversation About Your Author's Campaign
Publishers with a release date on the calendar can contact East 2 West Collective at 310-963-8050 or emuch@e2wcollective.com to discuss a publicity strategy built around that date — or review the full Justine Bateman case study for a detailed look at how a publisher-backed launch was run end to end.